1. FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a television, radio, or Internet activated sweepstakes game system employing at least one active game piece device or token among a large number of dummy game pieces or tokens distributed for the sweepstakes game.
2. DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART
The related art of interest describes various, relatively expensive electronic game pieces, but none discloses the present invention, which is a system utilizing only one or a few active game pieces in a wide distribution of dummy game pieces which respond to an electronic (e.g., television) signal from a suitable device, e.g., a rented videotape. To the eye and touch, all of the game pieces of our invention have the same appearance, feel and mass.
The related art will be discussed in the order of perceived relevance to the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,112,050 issued on May 12, 1992, to John R. Koza describes a broadcast lottery game device and method comprising a purchased ticket containing a single 9-digit decimal number for comparison with information broadcast in a preferred embodiment from a transmitter station every hour for a year. The broadcast can be transmitted by a hand-held device, e.g., in a casino. The broadcast information contains a winning number which is compared to the stored number of the ticket to determine whether it is a winning ticket depending on the number of matching digits. The transmission means can be also electromagnetic radiation, telephonic, optical and electro-optical mediums, microwave, and laser. The memory devices can be a register, an integrated circuit memory (EPROM preferred), an optical device, or a magnetic memory such as magnetic strips. The electronic system employs a dual tone multi-frequency decoder based on a microprocessor chip with a beeper connected to a microprocessor controller chip and an alpha-numeric display. The memory device is distinguishable for lacking the reception of signals from a television set and utilizing expensive electronic systems for each and every device.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,669,730, issued on Jun. 2, 1987, and a continuation-in-part U.S. Pat. No. 4,815,741 issued on Mar. 28, 1989, to Maynard E. Small describes, respectively, (1) an automated sweepstakes-type game apparatus and method, and (2) an automated marketing and gaming system apparatus and method. These patents show an automated sweepstakes game in which an identification card is inserted into an automated remote computer terminal. An account at a subject financial institution is accessed and a sweepstakes processor compares the user to game indicia to determine a winner. The apparatus and method are distinguishable for requiring each identification card to be inserted into the bank""s computer terminal (ATM), rather than the reception at home from a television set.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,230,317 issued on Oct. 28, 1980, to Jeffrey D. Breslow et al. describes a sound actuated competitive game apparatus comprising a game board playing area and two opposite goal areas. A sound actuated flipper at each goal area can block and propel a playing ball. The players control the flippers by shouting to propel the ball to the opponent""s play area. The apparatus is distinguishable for its structural requirement for a playing game board.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,756,533 issued on Jul. 12, 1988, to James E. Hopkins et al. describes a multiple jig-saw puzzle promotional lottery game and method of play. Multiple jig saw puzzles having identical jig saw patterns are simultaneously played by contestants. The puzzle pieces for all the puzzles are obtained from a common pool. Each contestant is challenged to separate the puzzle pieces using only visual clues on their faces, to place the puzzle pieces in the correct places, and to collect all the pieces needed to solve one or more puzzles. The lottery game is distinguishable for not requiring any electromagnetic signal means.
Canadian Pat. No. 454,453 issued on Feb. 8, 1949, to Donald H. Munro describes an indoor hockey game device comprising a rectangular game board with operable flickers to propel the game piece to the opposite goal. The hockey game device is distinguish able for failing to utilize any electromagnetic signal means.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singularly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed. Thus, a sweepstakes game piece device solving the problems of ease of play, economical utilization, and widespread distribution via existing commercial channels (products) is desired.
Our invention is a number of game pieces, played in sweepstakes fashion, utilizing an electronic signal from a common consumer item (e.g., a television set, radio, tape deck, computer, telephone, cellular telephone, etc.) to activate an electronic game token (or xe2x80x9clivexe2x80x9d piece), and inform the player that he or she is a winner. In a typical sweepstakes, there are but a small number of winners among many losers. The invention calls for the losing tokens to be xe2x80x9cdummiesxe2x80x9d and the winners to be xe2x80x9clivexe2x80x9d, electronic tokens. Thus, this strategy and the invention system allow for the average cost of tokens to be minimal, as only a few tokens are xe2x80x9clive.xe2x80x9d This strategy allows the xe2x80x9clivexe2x80x9d tokens to be structured to perform complex functions, which is most appealing for marketing purposes, while keeping the total sweepstakes cost at the most conceivable minimum.
The winning piece is a plastic token, an inch or so in diameter and about one-half inch thick, with internal electronics. The other, dummy pieces are identical in external appearance, touch and mass so as to be essentially indistinguishable from the winning piece (s). The game tokens could be distributed in the same fashion as any typical sweepstakes, e.g., by mail, point-of-purchase, manual handout, etc. In the case where a television and VCR provide the electronic activation signal, the tape may have an imbedded, audible signal. The game piece is placed near the speaker of the television connected to the video player. The winning token""s internal electronics are activated during the course of the playing of the video, such that a beep, buzz, song, light, flash and/or a spoken message are emitted from the token. The winner then may call a toll-free number, return the token to the place of origin, mail it in, etc., to claim his or her prize. Again, only the winning token or tokens will have the relatively expensive electronics imbedded therein, while all of the other coins in the game are simply monolithic, inexpensive dummies.
Accordingly, it is a principal object of the invention to provide a broadcast sweepstakes game system utilizing an active game piece mixed in with many dummy pieces.
It is another object of the invention to provide a broadcast sweepstakes game utilizing many dummy game pieces.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a broadcast sweepstakes game transmitting the winning signals to the active game piece.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a broadcast sweepstakes game activating the winning token electronically, as from a videotape, a cassette tape, a DVD or laser disk, a radio, a computer (e.g., via the Internet), a telephone, a cellular telephone, etc.
It is an object of the invention to provide improved elements and arrangements thereof for the purposes described which is inexpensive, dependable and fully effective in accomplishing its intended purposes.
These and other objects of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings.